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Evening Star, Issue 3297, 13 September 1873, Page 2

The announcement of the arrangement of a new Californian mail service will be received with satisfaction byall in Dunedin; we should hope not even excepting our contemporary the Daily Times. The interruption to that route, caused by the collapse of the Webb contract, has been felt to be a serious inconvenience. It has deranged communication with Great Britain ; narrowed the markets for our produce, and rendered necessary the difficulty of a renewal of those commercial relations with California and the islands of the Pacific which were beginning to assume form and fixity. To the unwise opposition of our contemporary these losses were mainly owing. This Province has been especially a sufferer ) for being the terminus of the route, large sums of money were expended in various ways by the steamers during their stay in port. We trust that the lesson thus learnt at the cost of the Colony will not be disregarded. It is much easier to destroy than to build up; and now that benefit, which as a terminus was reaped solely by this port, will be henceforth shared in by Sydney, Nor will that half share be recouped to the Colony by the reduced cost of the service. While, however, we regret the time that has been thus lost, and the advantage ground on which we stood thrown away by the factious spirit of a personal and unintelligent Opposition, we gladly recognise the favorable terms on which the new contract has been based. It is true, by our folly, we have contrived to bring New South Wales into direct competition with us in the Californian and Island trades. But we produce what that Colony cannot, and possibly increased intercourse with it will more than compensate for the trade thrown away. We have also now a means of direct communication with Fiji, with which our trade hitherto has been fitful and limited. Victoria has for once over-reached herself, and thi’ough grasping at a lead to which she is not entitled has thrown away a splendid chance of mercantile extension. Ultimately she must come in. The baby politics of the Times should surely now be abandoned, and a straightforward and manly recognition of the services rendered by Mr Vogel, his Honor the Superintendent, and the representatives of the City in their far-seeing policy, is due to those gentlemen. We can safely say, that although it may be withheld by the Times and its few blind followers, it will he freely accorded by all other classes.